Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/59856

This research will demonstrate how animals were seen as spectacles in the Edo period and continue to influence today's modern zoos. Zoos have four main purposes: conservation, education, science and recreation. Interestingly, little attention has been given to the function of zoos as places of ‘recreation.’ The recent, growing trend has been concerned with the effects of education on visitors. In order to thoroughly understand the aspects of ‘recreation,’ this paper will focus on the spectacle side of animal attraction. This investigation considers that even before the establishment of the first Japanese zoo, people have enjoyed animal recreation. Accordingly, I hope to present fundamental ideas in support of how these recreational elements remain embedded in modern Japanese zoos. I will do this by referring to academic articles, newspapers and magazines.